Hi there,
I've been a composer for several years however in the past I've always had my mixing taken care of by professional sound engineers. This time, I've tried doing it myself and I've run into an issue that I'm hoping someone can help me with.
I've recently mixed a song that is having issues being played back on certain stereo systems. When I listen to the final mix on my studio monitors, or through my computer speakers, or even through Bose headphones plugged into my iPod, the mix sounds great, but when I play the track through my home entertainment system with an amplified tuner, the mix sounds off. None of the frequencies are poking out in a bad way (i.e. nothing sounds tinny or too bassy or mid-rangy, etc.) however the volume of the instruments are unevenly distributed. Some instruments sound too far in the background while others are right up front in the mix. But this only seems to occur on home entertainment systems and through things like a television speaker. Otherwise, in all other listening formats, the track sounds good and evenly distributed with the volume.
Is this a compression issue? Or is this something I would have to get resolved through professional mastering of the track? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Saturnyman.
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Got it, thank you! Amazing composition but your mix sounds like
Got it, thank you!
Amazing composition but your mix sounds like a sock is covering everything. Example, the vocal sounds like someone has put they're hand in front of her voice. Upper mids are not there. Not completely over her voice but in front baffling or absorbing the clarity. The entire mix is suffering the same way.
I'm guessing your monitoring system and room has serious acoustic issues. I hear this immediately. Is this how it sounds on your entertainment system?
Hi audiokid, Thank you regarding the composition. Actually, the
Hi audiokid,
Thank you regarding the composition. Actually, the issue I'm having is the volume between the instruments. When I listen to the mixed track on my computer speakers, or my studio monitors or in my iPod or portable CD player, the volume levels for each of the instruments sound fine. But through my stereo system in my living room, the volume of the instruments are off. The orchestration sounds way too far in the background and the vocals are way up front, with the drums, guitar and bass hovering somewhere in the middle. I'm trying to figure out if this is a compression issue or something because it's strange that a lot of the formats I listen to it seem to make it sound the levels sound fine but a few other formats expose these volume issues.
Your mix doesn't do that here so its a setting in the entertainm
Your mix doesn't do that here so its a setting in the entertainment system.
I ran your song through my system. I needed to boost huge amounts of mids and highs to the vocal to get it to where it was clear enough. Adding this much of course sounds absolutely terrible but it told me what freq are missing and that you are seriously missing something in your monitoring and recording process.
There is also an unacceptable amount of compression grabbing those freq. Are you using a multiband compressor?
My thoughts: Your entertainment system may be trying to adjust for this.
I have an example of the voice with the EQ added. I bet you would be shocked to hear how bright I have it now. I bet it would sound extremely bright to you. If so, this tells me that your monitoring again is giving you incorrect freq levels. Your room must be very very bright which is causing you to pull out upper mids and highs.
It would be very hard to mix this song. Fix this and you will be very happy.
Hi audiokid, Thanks for the advice. The thing is, when I play o
Hi audiokid,
Thanks for the advice. The thing is, when I play other audio CDs in my entertainment system there are no volume issues with the instruments in the songs. So based on what you're telling me here, I'm guessing there may be issues with the compression after all, as you have got it right. I am using a multiband compressor. I'll try adjusting the mids and highs to the instrument tracks and see if I can also adjust the compression the process. Hopefully that will help. Thanks!
Absolutely. [="http://recording.org/collaboration/"]Collaborati
Absolutely.
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[[url=http://="http://recording.or…"]Track Talk[/]="http://recording.or…"]Track Talk[/]
[[url=http://[/URL]="http://recording.or…"]Song & Mix Collaboration[/]="http://recording.or…"]Song & Mix Collaboration[/]
We recommend uploading your songs or tracks to SoundCloud or DropBox
Hello saturdayman, I was once where you are, now I'am not the be
Hello saturdayman, I was once where you are, now I'am not the best mixer, But I'am learning more everyday. The best suggestion I can make I.s to contact, A guy by the name of Kevin Ward, from Nashville. He has group called MixCoach. Yes it cost $18 a month, but a promise you, you won't regret it. Tell him I sent you. First check out. http://www.mixcoach.com. It'll be the best move you ever made
So we can here it, post this mix at DropBox or Soundcloud?
So we can here it, post this mix at DropBox or Soundcloud?